Wished Away in the Worst Way
by Miriam1
Summary: Bebop and Rocksteady watched a movie and got creative.
1. The Wish

Wished Away in the Worst Way

Summary: Bebop and Rocksteady watched a movie and got creative.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles_, or _Labyrinth._

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><p>Chapter 1: The Wish<p>

"Graak! I cannot _believe_ the incompetence of those morons you keep around here, Shredder. It doesn't seem to matter _what_ technology I bring you from Dimension X; your useless henchmen can't get anything right!"

The evil ninja master drummed his fingers. "While I agree that they _aren't_ the sharpest blades in the arsenal, they are _not_ simply incompetent. Rather, they are effective in most of their tasks. But when it comes to the Turtles…"

Krang smirked. "You're just annoyed that… Hamato Yoshi, you called him? Is a more effective teacher than you are."

Before Shredder came up with a rejoinder, the sound of snorts and giggling came to them. The re-embodied brain rolled his eyes. "What are your idiots up to_ now?_"

The two entered the lounge of their hideout to see Bebop and Rocksteady sitting in front of the television, snapping their fingers, chanting, "You remind me of the babe. What babe? The babe with the power. What power? The power of Voodoo. Who do? You do. Do what? You remind me of the babe…"

The human rolled his eyes over his metallic mask. "What do you think you're doing?"

The humanoid rhinoceros and warthog stood up and snapped to attention. Bebop stuttered, "We was just, uh, watchin' a movie. A pretty good one." He snorted with pleasure.

Rocksteady had a thoughtful look, which surprised his employer and their… mentor of sorts. "Hey, boss? I been thinkin'…"

Krang sneered, "Oh, really? Do tell…"

"No – seriously. What are we tryin' ta do, here? Is da point to capture the cretins or just… get rid of 'em?"

Shredder raised his eyebrows – the question showed intelligent initiative. "We all regularly speak of destroying them, but if I had my true desire… My ultimate goal would be to steal the students from the Rodent and to become their _new_ master. Barring that, putting them beyond reach so they are less distracting as other plots come to fruition would suffice. Why?"

Bebop nodded in encouragement. "Tell him." He snorted.

"Well, boss, it's like dis. What would happen if we could just, uh, wish dem away, sorta like…" Rocksteady looked up at Krang and was struck with inspiration. "We could send 'em off to a different dimension. And the best part is, they can't come back. Not if we don't want 'em back."

The ninja master furrowed his brows. "What idiocy is this?"

Bebop saw the moment slipping away. "It's not idiocy. It's just like in da movie. Da girl wished her brother away, and de goblins came and took him. Da Goblin King coulda kept de kid, but da baby's sister ran the Labyrinth to get 'im back.

"But dis is de best part o' da deal. If we don't want 'em back, they'll be stuck dere forever."

Krang rolled his eyes. "This idea is from fantasy. It isn't real. Why would you…"

Rocksteady sneered, "You mean, like da dimension _you_ come from makes any _more_ sense? Maybe other people might think _that's_ nonsense. Don't knock it 'til we try it."

Shredder raised his eyebrows in mild amusement. "I'm intrigued. Try it, then."

The Rhino and Warthog exchanged glances. Rocksteady puffed out his chest, trumpeting, "Goblin King, Goblin King, I wish da goblins would come and take da Turtles away, right now!"

A wind blew through the room, which confused everyone in the underground lair. The wind picked up to rainstorm proportions, and the air stilled suddenly in a burst of sparkles.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?"

A blond man wearing a fancy tunic with far more ruffles than anyone else present knew what to make of stood akimbo, eyeing the four villains. There were something about the shades of his heterochromic eyes (his left eye was solid amber and his right eye was pale lavender), the set of the man's eyebrows, and his particularly pointed teeth that suggested that he wasn't entirely human. The way he turned his head as he peered around the room resembled the head movements of a bird.

Bebop looked between the man before him, the screen where the movie played, and back up at his visitor. "You ain't David Bowie, are you?"

Raising a sardonic eyebrow, the stranger smirked. "No, but he bears a passing resemblance. I approve."

Rocksteady beamed. "I knew it! You're da Goblin King!" Jareth nodded in acknowledgement.

Krang squawked inelegantly when the Goblin King raised a hand. At once, the mechanical body was held motionless and the silenced brain within glared. "Even here, you are naught but a nuisance, Krang. I have neither the time nor the patience to deal with you as you deserve nor I desire."

Shredder narrowed his eyes. "How did you get in here?"

"That is no concern of yours, Saki."

The ninja spat, "How dare you!"

Jareth didn't dignify him with a response. "So… you, Rocksteady, had my goblins come and take the Turtles to be mine. Am I to understand that you truly wished them away and have no intention to run the Labyrinth to get them back?"

Rocksteady knew what the right answer should have been, but those were rules he had no intention of following. "Nope. Da purpose was to send 'em away for good. Dey are too hard to fight, and dey get in da boss's way. This way, you'll have 'em and dey won't come back."

"Interesting. You have 13 hours to change your mind."

Bebop announced, "We ain't changing' our minds on dis. It's what de boss wants."

"I see. But what do _you_ want?"

Both Mutants were confused; no one ever asked what _they_ wanted before. They shared a glance, and Rocksteady ventured, "I dunno. I never really thought about it."

He looked to his buddy, his boss, and whatever Krang was to them, and shook his head in confusion.

Jareth asked kindly, "How would it benefit you to be rid of the Turtles?"

Furrowing his brows, Rocksteady worked it out. "Poisenally? Nothin', really. Dey ain't bad. It's a bit embarrassin' to get beaten by dem so much.

"But…" He clenched a fist. "It's what Shredder wants. So… Dat's why I wished 'em away."

Bebop snorted agreeably. "Yeah."

Jareth raised his eyebrows. "I see. Not everything is as it seems."

Not taking well to being ignored, Shredder demanded, "Why are you ignoring me? _I_ am the master, here!"

The fae smirked. "You neither made a wish nor said your right words. What care I for your mastery? You have no power over me." He faded from sight.

Krang was released from the stasis spell. "What was that… thing?"

Bebop snorted again. "Da Goblin King. But I wonder what he meant when he said dat 'not everything's as it seems'?"


	2. The Throne Room

I want to thank everyone who has shown interest in this story so far: the readers, reviewers, followers, and favorites. I offer you chocolate chip cookies as thanks.

Disclaimer: I don't own _Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles_, _Labyrinth_, or _A Midsummer Night's Dream._

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><p>Chapter 2: The Throne Room<p>

Four Turtles magically disappeared from their sewer home and reappeared in a shallow, pillow-lined pit in a throne room. All four took defensive stances to prepare for any threat.

A bold goblin approached them. "You are older than most wish-aways. But don't you worry. His Majesty'll take _good_ care of you."

Raphael rolled his eyes. "Like we haven't heard that one before."

A quick glance around them revealed no obvious threats. They straightened, and a handful of appreciative "Oooh"s and "Ahhh"s resounded.

Leonardo blinked as a bevy of chickens capered past them. "Where are we?"

Another goblin came closer. "You really don't know? Who wished you away? The one who wishes always says." He nodded importantly. "It's part of their right words."

Donatello narrowed his eyes, concentrating. "This looks oddly familiar."

"No way!" Goblins tittered as the Turtles stared at Michelangelo. "This is the castle of the Goblin King, and you little guys are goblins, right?"

Another one came out of the shadows. "You got that right."

"But… Why are we here? Master Splinter loves us. No, um…" Michelangelo put a hand on the back of his neck. "No matter how much we might annoy him sometimes, he would _never_ wish us away. We're the only family he's got."

"You're right, dear boy." The Turtles spun to find the new voice. A tall, regally robed man nodded at them.

Leonardo whispered, "He wasn't there a second ago."

Michelangelo whispered back, "I know. He does that."

The king continued as if he was uninterrupted. "Your father never wished you away. That is why we have an unusual situation."

Donatello stared off for a second, murmuring, "This is way too meta."

Jareth smiled kindly. "Perhaps. But what's said is said. By rights, the four of you are mine, now."

Raphael crossed his arms. "I don't like the sound of that."

The king continued. "But there are rules, even then. The one who wished you away had no authority to do so. Neither a parent nor a caregiver made the wish. Also… it is _my_ wish to confound those who spared no thought to your welfare or their own benefit."

Michelangelo rolled his shoulder. "Not that your kingdom isn't lovely, if the movie is anything to go by, but, um…" He opened his eyes wide. "You would keep us here forever?"

"I could, indeed. However…" Jareth stalked around the four of them.

The brothers narrowed their eyes, leapt out of the pit, flipping out behind a row or two of goblins who were watching.

Raphael said, "I don't think so. You turtle-napped us from home. You have _no_ right to demand anything of us!"

Jareth's eyes glowed with pleasure. "You are delightful children: my compliments to your father. So that you understand, _I_ did not take you. The magic of the wish summoned the goblins to take whomever was wished away."

He sighed sadly. "Oftentimes, the children wished away are abused and unwanted. Taking the wish-aways is more often a kindness.

"But that is what makes this situation interesting." Jareth's eyes twinkled with mischief. "The one who wished you away had no true connection to you that would authorize your deliverance. Unlike the will of their wish, I have no obligation to keep you."

Donatello shook his head. "Obligation?"

"Of course, dear child. It is my duty to all of my subjects to make sure they are cared for and that the wish-aways are loved. I've been known to raise a few, myself. Others were given to other citizens to adopt."

Leonardo furrowed his brows. "That makes a lot of sense, actually."

Michelangelo started, "Your Majesty?"

"Please call me Jareth, child."

The youngest Turtle smiled. "Okay, thanks. I'm glad that you don't do it, but it makes me wonder: I noticed that you never mention the fact that we… aren't exactly human."

Jareth smiled broadly. "Because, dear boy, I'm not human, either. I am a fae. Further, you wouldn't believe the races or species that are foolish enough to send away children. You are Turtles. While interesting and fascinating, you are positively mundane, compared with some of the creatures who have been wished away to me."

"Thanks, Jareth." Michelangelo wasn't sure how he felt about calling a king by his given name.

Raphael worked out an earlier part of the conversation. "Wait a minute, Jareth." He felt no compunction about being so casual with his kidnapper, no matter what title he held. "You said you have no obligation to keep us."

"Well spotted, dear boy. That pertains to when the time is up."

Before the brothers objected again, Michelangelo waved his hands and piped up. "Wait, wait, wait. I think I get it. The, um, people who wished us away get, like, 13 hours to run the Labyrinth. Unless a runner gets you mad, and you cut their time…" Jareth raised his eyebrows. "I bet the rules say we gotta be here for those 13 hours."

The king smiled. "Precisely. As long as you are in my kingdom, the rules have been fulfilled. But they say nothing about what needs to be done during that time."

Leonardo looked at his brothers and nodded. "I vote for lunch before we do anything else."

Jareth chuckled. "Then lunch it shall be. But before we do… I have a proposition for you."

Donatello might not have been up on fantasy the way Michelangelo was, but when Sensei had them read _A_ _Midsummer Night's Dream_, he remembered that one shouldn't make deals with fairies and similar creatures blindly.

He suppressed the urge to draw his _bo_ and asked, "What kind of proposition?"

Jareth nodded at the bright boy. These children took _nothing_ for granted. "When the time is up, I am sending you home. However, if one of you runs the Labyrinth, I'll grant you all a wish."

Raphael thought for a moment. "What kind of wish?"

"I can give you your dreams."

Michelangelo sighed and said, "Look – we can figure it out over lunch, right?"


	3. Running the Labyrinth

Thank you for reading and reviewing, and for favoriting and following this story (and me). I wish you all a happy and healthy, sweet New Year. I offer you apples and honey, and a doughnut in your choice of flavor if you can cite the _Princess Bride_ paraphrase.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles_, _Labyrinth_, or _The Princess Bride._

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><p>Chapter 3: Running the Labyrinth<p>

Raphael was proud of himself for convincing everyone to let him run the Labyrinth. Now, he needed a way to get in.

He saw a short… the fellow wasn't exactly human, and he was using an old-fashioned spray can, aiming at flying… fairies? Raphael shook his head.

"Hey, buddy?"

The fellow ignored him completely, took careful aim, and sprayed. "Fifty-four! Hah! Gotcha!" He did a little jig before taking aim again.

"Excuse me, dude?"

"Hah! Fifty-five!"

Raphael rolled his eyes and tracked the next fairy the guy aimed for. He grabbed it out of the air, pinning its arms, but it kicked as it fruitlessly struggled to get free.

The fellow jerked his head in surprise and looked up. "What'd you do that for?"

"To get your attention, buddy. What's your name?"

"Hoggle. And you are…?"

"Raphael. Now that we got that out of the way, how about you put down your spray can, I'll put down this…" He pointed to his hand, full of unhappy fairy. "Whatever this thing is, and we talk to each other. Like civilized people."

Hoggle blinked. "Yer not a usual runner, are ya?"

"I'm probably as far from usual as you can get. So. How do I get in?"

The dwarf pursed his lips. "You asked the right question." He did lower his hands. "You go through the door." He waved at the wall and a door magically appeared.

Raphael used his free hand to smack his forehead. "Michelangelo would appreciate this so much more." Focusing on the new guy, he said, "Thanks, Hoggle. One more thing. Which direction did the last runner take?"

Hoggle smirked. "Sarah turned right."

"Thanks." Raphael released the fairy, who stuck her tongue out at the oblivious Turtle, and promptly turned left. He sprinted for a few minutes before he realized that there didn't seem to be a break in the steep walls on either side. Raphael rolled his eyes at the ever-present sparkles, but stopped at a tree that had fallen across the passage.

The root system was sturdy, if ninety degrees from the angle that would have kept the tree firmly planted. Further, the root system reached several feet higher up the Labyrinth's inner wall. Raphael gauged the brick of the wall, and scaled the tree, the root system, and the wall.

Standing atop the wall, Raphael saw the castle in the middle of Goblin City and blinked. "Seriously? That's it? If I knew that was all I had to do, I would have let Donatello run."

Watching via a crystal from the throne room, Donatello indignantly yelped, "Hey!"


	4. What Happens Now?

Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed. Mew Sakura the Cyniclon gets special mention for having cited the right scene. Enjoy the doughnut, and thank you for playing!

I wish you to be sealed for a happy, healthy, sweet New Year. I offer pomegranate seeds, apples dipped in honey, and a lettuce leaf with a raisin and a piece of celery. An extra doughnut goes to anyone who figures out the pun.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles_ or _Labyrinth._

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><p>Chapter 4: What Happens Now?<p>

Raphael entered the throne room to hooting and cheering from his brothers and the goblins, who had taken a shine to the teenage Turtles.

Michelangelo hugged his older brother. "Man, Raph, that was amazing! Most people who run this thing need between ten to thirteen hours. You nailed it in under five minutes!"

The erstwhile champion grimaced. "Yeah, well… I remembered a line, or something, where Sarah – if she was real…"

"She is," Jareth murmured.

"Well… she went one direction, and I remembered that a worm said that the other direction led straight to the castle." Raphael cocked his head. "No disrespect, Jareth, but it wasn't that hard."

The king smiled. "For one who is as skilled and observant as you are, my Labyrinth would not pose a challenge. Although I wonder what you would have made of the Fieries… No matter. Come – make yourselves comfortable and discuss the dreams you wish to come true."

All four Turtles sat in the pillow-lined pit directly in front of the throne and shared a glance. Leonardo started, "Raphael, while you were out, we had a bit of a con-fab, just thinking about various and sundry."

Donatello's purple bandana creased as he raised an eyebrow. "So you would have _let_ me run, huh?"

Raphael gulped. "You heard that, huh?" He paused a second. "Don, you know I was just joshin'. But you normally do better with teamwork, when a real challenge comes up. This… puzzle was less complicated than your fiddly gadgets."

Jareth raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

Leonardo nodded in approval as his younger brothers worked things out.

Donatello grinned. "Fair enough, I suppose. But about our wish… We were thinking of the one Michelangelo mentioned…"

"Nuh-uh! I am _not_ wasting a once-in-a-lifetime wish on anchovies, pineapple, and escargot!"

Michelangelo giggled. "I didn't know you cared, or that you even overheard that one! No, no, no, Raphael. This one was _way_ more intense than interesting pizza toppings!" He took a few moments to collect himself. "No, Raphael. The dream we discussed involved… looking human.

"I remember that time I ran into that mutagen that turned me into an average human. It was the most complicated few hours of my life, and we run into some weird stuff, in general. It's because the transformation took away my Turtle Power."

When Jareth cocked his head in confusion, Donatello clarified, "It took away his shell weight, muscle mass, and proportional strength." The king nodded in understanding.

Michelangelo continued. "So… I was a weak, uncoordinated mess. It was a total bummer.

"But here's the thing. What if… What if we wished for the ability to produce an _illusion_ that we look like average humans – _way_ stronger than that mutagen made me?"

Michelangelo shivered. "It wouldn't be for all the time. I love being a Turtle! But you know… Sometimes it might be nice to stroll through Times Square during daylight hours, or even… How cool would it be if Sensei could visit the Museum Mile without being stared at and screamed at?

"I'm proud of who and what we are. But it would be awesome to… look normal sometimes, just because we can."

Raphael raised his eyebrows. "That was profound, Mikey. And what do you guys say?"

Donatello and Leonardo nodded at each other. Leonardo said, "We are ready to agree, but we want to hear your thoughts on the matter."

Raphael's red bandana scrunched as he frowned in thought. "I guess… I could get behind that."

He looked up at Jareth, who was rolling a crystal sphere around his gloved fingers in complicated patterns. "Is it possible to get Master Splinter involved in our wish?"

"How very thoughtful and generous of you. Of course it's possible. It is your wish, and definitely within my power."

With a flick of his wrist, five crystal spheres appeared in the fae's hands. He pointed, and they floated, one to each Turtle but Raphael, who had two. "These crystals contain your dreams as you've stated them. When you hold them and keep them on your person, think of the image you wish to be. Your appearance will be human, in your own self-image. And the fifth, Raphael, is for your father.

"Go ahead and give it a try." Jareth conjured a mirror for them.

Michelangelo had bright red hair and dark blue eyes. "I'm a redhead again! I kinda liked my appearance that time, if I wouldn't have been so powerless."

Leonardo had raven-colored hair and light blue eyes. "I like how this works."

Donatello had blond hair and green eyes, and Raphael had brown hair and brown eyes.

Jareth smiled. "So that is how you see yourselves if you would have been human."

The oldest sibling stared at his five-fingered hands and grasped his left hand with his right. "But… I only feel three fingers on each hand."

Donatello shrugged. "Yeah, well… It's only an image. The Polo shirts and Dockers were a nice touch." Each boy appeared to wear dark slacks and shirts the color of their bandanas. The socks and tennis shoes were a bonus.

Michelangelo touched his head. "But the hair is real!"

Jareth chuckled. "Not precisely. But it will feel real enough."

Raphael gave the king a sober look. "Will Sensei's crystal make him look like he did while he was human?"

"Yes, dear boy. And when you tire of the illusion, concentrate on your natural form, and you shall return to normal."

Michelangelo smiled broadly. "Thanks, Jareth."

"It is my great pleasure. Now come. Let me give you a tour of the castle as the clock runs down."


	5. Going Home

I want to thank everyone who has shown interest in this story, whether you read, reviewed, or put either this story or me on your assorted lists.

I wish everyone to be sealed for a happy, healthy, blessed sweet year.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles_ or _Labyrinth._

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><p>Chapter 5: Going Home<p>

"My sons! Where have you been? And who is this you have brought here?"

Leonardo took a breath to answer, but Jareth got there first. "Interesting that we should meet this way, Yoshi. But I shall answer both questions."

Splinter blinked in surprise. He was unused to strangers referring to him by his given name.

"I am Jareth, the Goblin King. According to the time as _you _would perceive it, your sons spent the last hour with me, as they were wished away to me by those who would see harm come to them."

Splinter glanced at the Turtles and narrowed his eyes at the stranger. "And?"

"And according to time as _we_ perceive it, I have spent the most mutually delightful thirteen hours with your children."

Raphael ignored the tension between the adults and stepped between them. "Master Splinter, Jareth gave me a gift to give to you."

Splinter tightened his hold on his walking stick and flattened his ears. He gave no other hint at how badly disconcerted he was. Straightening his shoulders, he said, "Thank you, Raphael. What is it?"

The Turtle handed his father the sphere. "It's a crystal."

Michelangelo piped up, "It, like, shows us the manifestation of our dreams."

Leonardo beamed at him. "Manifestation, huh? Good word, Mike."

The Rat gazed at all four of his sons. "And what would that be?"

Donatello waited a beat and then said, "That would be to acknowledge who we are as Mutants, which makes us extraordinary, but to be able to appear, at will, to be average humans. Or, not so average, 'cause we are who we are."

"Well said, my son!" He turned to Jareth. "And why would you give us such gifts?"

"My dear man, your sons impressed me, and my gift was a reward for them. My gift to you has a two-fold reason: Firstly, I have rarely had children wished away to me who were so well-cared for and loved. Consider it a reward for your outstanding appreciation of your boys. Secondly, the boys requested that I share the bounty they received with you. This, of course, only commended them further."

"Then I thank you, your Majesty."

The Turtles pestered their mentor to try his illusion, and they made noises of awe as they saw a handsome, clean-shaven Japanese man with short hair. He kept his kimono, but gained a white set of breeches. After looking in the mirror, Hamato Yoshi nodded in satisfaction at the reflection. Then he released the illusion.

"Once again, I thank you, your Majesty."

Raphael cleared his throat, gaining the attention of everyone present. "Say, Jareth, now that you're here, is there any chance we can wish away whoever wished _us_ away?"

The Goblin King smirked. "Of course." He gestured at Raphael to carry on.

The red bandana bunched as Raphael frowned in confusion. "What?"

The monarch nodded expectantly. "Say your right words, and your wish will be granted."

Raphael's eyes widened. "You gotta be kidding me!"

Michelangelo giggled. "No, no. Let me. I got this one covered."

Jareth tipped his head in amusement.

The youngest Turtle proceeded. "Goblin King, Goblin King: I wish the goblins would come and take away the tormentors who wished us away, right now."

The fae smiled broadly. "Michelangelo, well done! And now, justice will be served, for now they are mine to do with as I please."

Donatello waved a hand. "Wait a minute, Jareth. Michelangelo doesn't have any more authority to wish our tormentors away, whoever they are, than they had to wish us away."

Jareth's feral grin made all four Turtles roll their shoulders in discomfort. "In theory, you would be correct. If you initiated this whole sequence, you would be precisely right. However, there are a few concepts you have not yet acknowledged.

"First of all, I assessed them before I treated with you. I know who they are, what they are, and their motivations for their wish. Second, I have known who they are and what they do to innocents. I have long wished to serve them justice, but until their wish and yours, I had no power over them. Between their thoughtless greed and your self-preservation, they're now mine."

"May we ask who they are?" Leonardo ventured.

"You may ask, but I shan't tell you. Peddling idle gossip is beneath all of us."

Leonardo blushed, and Jareth decided that it was an interesting effect to see a red blush on a green face.

The king conceded, "However, this set of tormentors shall not harass you again. You may discover who they are by the process of elimination."

Michelangelo gazed at the thoughtful expressions of his family and the smug expression of the Goblin King. Nodding at his own thoughts, he spoke up. "Thanks for this truly unexpected boon. I think it's cool that your personal wish dovetails with our personal safety."

Jareth smiled warmly. "I like you and have enjoyed your company. Should any of the five of you ever need me, for any reason at all, call my name and I'll be there."

Splinter returned the smile. "Thank you, your Majesty. We shall not abuse the privilege. Will we?"

Four voices chorused, "No, Master Splinter."

Jareth chuckled. "Such good boys. But as it stands, I have a few wish-aways to attend to. Farewell, and feel free to call me."

Hands were shaken all around, and with a final nod, Jareth disappeared in a burst of sparkles.

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><p>In a pit of pillows, four beings magically appeared. Physically, they were comfortable. However, the walls were steep enough that they would not be able to leave easily, if at all. They heard tittering from above.<p>

Rocksteady took in his surroundings, gulped, and muttered, "Uh-oh." Bebop snorted fearfully.

Krang found himself out of his mechanical body but perched upon a pillow. Ever ready to berate the two Mutants, he sneered, "What have you idiots done now?"

Shredder felt along the walls for handholds, but the slick walls held no purchase. He cursed in Japanese. He didn't know his situation, but it was clear that he wasn't in control.

A dark, silky voice above them chuckled. "Now, now, Saki. That's no way to speak in front of your younger colleagues."

Krang shivered. "Braak! Where are we, and how did we get here?"

A flap of wings held the attention of the four beings as a large barn owl circled above their heads, further disorienting them, and then it landed in their midst. The owl shimmered and morphed into the regal and very dangerous form of the Goblin King.

He gave the captives a sharp-toothed, feral grin. "You are in the castle in the middle of the Goblin City. And you got here the way most people from the world above enter the Underground: you were wished away."

Shredder tried to attack the fae, but found he couldn't move. Jareth smirked as he crossed his arms. "Well, well, well. Whatever shall I do with you?"

Bebop gulped. "Uh, Goblin King, who wished _us_ away?"

"That is not your concern. All you need to know is that they have no desire to run the Labyrinth for you."

Rocksteady rolled his shoulders uncomfortably. "If it was da Turtles, I guess… What's de expression? Turnabout's fair play."

Bebop grunted. "Yeah. And even if it wasn't dem, maybe it was karma. We wished da Turtles away for permanent, and now de four of _us_ got wished away. For permanent."

Shredder couldn't move his body, but his tongue had no such problem. "And what has you two so philosophical?"

The Mutants shared a glance. Rocksteady shrugged. "It's 'cause da Goblin King is all-powerful, especially on his home turf, and he, uh… don't look too happy wit' us."

Jareth bestowed a sardonic smile upon them. "An accurate assessment, Rocksteady."

Krang waved his tentacles. "What do you intend to do with us?"

The Goblin King tapped his chin, as if in thought. "Hmm. Well… You shall wait the thirteen hours in relative comfort. Food, drink, and a restroom shall be provided. You _are_ my guests, after all. But after that?" He smirked. "I believe all four of you will make _fantastic_ goblins. What say you, my precious subjects?"

The tittering around the pit turned vicious.


End file.
